Democrats rushed this week to defend Del. Stacey Plaskett, D-V.I., after the revelation that she exchanged messages with Jeffrey Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing. But it was Rep. Jamie Raskin’s startling defense—calling it nothing more than “taking a phone call from her constituent”—that ignited a firestorm across Washington and online.
Jamie Raskin — one of the worst to ever disgrace the halls of Congress — says @StaceyPlaskett was just “taking a phone call from her constituent” when she colluded with a convicted sex offender during a committee hearing.
These people are SICK! https://t.co/t2mgClf8FK pic.twitter.com/JmnwR1OeaQ
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 18, 2025
On Tuesday, House Republicans, led by Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., introduced a resolution seeking to censure Plaskett for what they called “inappropriate coordination with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.” The proposal argued that Plaskett’s conduct “reflects discreditably on the House of Representatives.”
The catalyst for the resolution was Plaskett’s undisputed communication with Epstein—whose primary residence was in the U.S. Virgin Islands—during a 2019 hearing featuring testimony from former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. That hearing occurred amid the Democrats’ nonstop pursuit of Donald Trump over his business dealings and the 2016 election.
From the House floor, Raskin came to his former law school student’s defense with an argument many viewed as absurd. “They want to give them another headline! Which is, that they’ve arraigned a Democratic member for taking a phone call from her constituent, Jeffrey Epstein, in the middle of a hearing,” he declared, insisting, “I don’t think there are any rules here against taking phone calls in a hearing.”
Raskin continued, “Are we saying just because they were on a phone call, they’re guilty of something? We should strip them of their committee assignments. We should censure them. Have we gotten to that point? I mean, come on … Let’s stick by the Constitution. Let’s stick by due process.”
That defense drew immediate condemnation, not only from conservatives but even from the White House. President Biden’s Rapid Response team blasted Raskin’s comment as “sick,” posting: “Jamie Raskin — one of the worst to ever disgrace the halls of Congress — says Stacey Plaskett was just ‘taking a phone call from her constituent’ when she colluded with a convicted sex offender during a committee hearing. These people are SICK!”
Independent journalist Lee Fang—no conservative—said Raskin’s explanation was “incredibly dishonest,” pointing out that court filings show Plaskett was no ordinary constituent-relationship case. Fang explained: “Plaskett helped Epstein while serving in the Virgin Islands gov w/ tax credits, went on to work directly for Epstein’s fixer, then received lavish campaign support from Epstein and his aides to clinch her election victory.”
Fang had already reported in 2023 that Plaskett had sought campaign donations directly from Epstein, met him in person multiple times, and even worked at a law firm that “played a role in cultivating influence for Epstein’s clandestine activities.” He also noted she served as an attorney at the Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority, which granted Epstein “hundreds of millions” in allegedly improper tax exemptions.
Raskin’s defense was quickly branded outrageous.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson asked the question many are now wondering: “Why is Raskin trying to downplay his colleague chatting with a convicted sex offender? Is it because he knows his colleague Hakeem also wanted dinner with Epstein? Or is it because he’s worried about what else will be revealed about Dems…?”
Others noted the personal connection: Raskin had once been Plaskett’s professor at American University. Conservative filmmaker Mel K asked whether the Maryland congressman was “for real” in defending his former student so aggressively.
Plaskett also addressed the controversy, insisting she had no reason to believe at the time that Epstein was the subject of a federal investigation.
“I began to get innumerable texts from friends, from foes, from constituents about what was happening in that hearing. And I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein, who, at the time, was my constituent, who there was not public knowledge at that time that he was under federal investigation,” she told colleagues.
She continued, “I heard recently from someone that I was taking advice from him. Let me tell you something. I don’t need to get advice on how to question anybody from any individual. I have been a lawyer for 30 years.”
Despite the uproar and the damning optics, the Republican resolution to censure Plaskett and remove her from committee duties failed in a House vote Tuesday night. But the questions raised—about her relationship with Epstein and the willingness of top Democrats to minimize it—are unlikely to fade quietly.
STACEY PLASKETT: “I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein, who at the time was my constituent. It was not public knowledge at that time that he was under federal investigation.”
It was, however, a full 11 years after he was first arrested for child sex crimes. pic.twitter.com/WcUZ1BPR4g
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 18, 2025
